Egypt, Jordan seek solution to labor ills

Jordan’s Labor Minister Eid Fayez and Egyptian Ambassador to Jordan Mohammad Higazy discussed on Sunday, February 18, the state of Egyptian laborers in the Jordanian Kingdom and means to regulate and

Jordan’s Labor Minister Eid Fayez and Egyptian Ambassador to Jordan Mohammad Higazy discussed on Sunday, February 18, the state of Egyptian laborers in the Jordanian Kingdom and means to regulate and control their flow to the local market.

In the meeting, both officials discussed means of improving and enhancing ties between the two countries in organizing labor.

Fayez said the ministry was working to simplify routine measures for work permits, but said that Egyptian workers should abide by Jordanian labor regulations and that violations of the law should be curbed. However, the officials agreed to work to legalize the stay of some Egyptian workers in the Jordan Valley who presently do not have valid work permits.

"Fayez said the Egyptian laborers' work in the agricultural and construction fields has contributed to the development of the country," Jihad Jadallah, the ministry's press attaché told the Jordan Times.

Jadallah explained that agriculture and domestic workers, whose working conditions have not been legislated, are included in a soon-to-be-approved draft of a new labor law.

The meeting also touched upon the forthcoming meeting of Arab Labor Ministers on April 2, as well as the threat posed by the foreign labor force in many Arab countries. Higazy said re-Arabization of the labor force would be a solution. — ( Jordan Times [1])